Utah Avalanche Center Podcast

In this podcast, we talk with long time Utah Avalanche Center pro observer Mark White. Mark grew up in the Wasatch Range and is one of the last true self-described "ski bums". We talked about a 2002 avalanche when Mark and his girlfriend Marla rescued and recovered a lone and fully buried skier in a debris pile near the Cardiac Ridge; the intricacies of route selection and terrain management; why Mark seldom digs snowpits; getting to know the snow throughout the season; and being Instagram famous for skiing sick lines.

Don Sharaf has the run the gauntlet of a 30-year career on snow. He's a co-owner of American Avalanche Institute and has taught avalanche and mountaineering courses for the past 25 years. He's also worked as a heli-ski guide and avalanche forecaster in Alaska for more than a decade. In other words, he's got enough mileage in the mountains to have learned a thing or two, including the profound value of humility when staring into the face of the dragon.

Retired UAC forecaster and Jenny Lake climbing ranger Tom Kimbrough has spent a lifetime in the mountains. He attributes his ability to survive his adventures to one thing: Luck. We discussed his thinking about a lifetime of risk exposure, what it's like now seeing his only son climbing and skiing at the highest levels, and what role Buddhism has played in his life as a climber, as a skier, and as a soon-to-be octogenarian, the role of mentorship in the world of forecasting and other professions and pursuits, and what has changed over the years in snow science.

In December, 2008, Matt Clevenger was caught in an avalanche in the Wasatch Mountains and buried him six feet under. Luckily, one of his partners that day, Tom Diegel, reacted quickly, led decisively, and helped save Clevenger's life. Discussed in the podcast: the life-and-death risks of backcountry skiing; mentoring and finding a mentor; moving forward after being buried and rescued; making the right decisions, delegating responsibilities, and communicating well during a rescue; practice rescues; practice rescues; PRACTICE RESCUES!

Anna Keeling has been a fully certified IFMGA guide since 2002. She is a highly sought after educator and trainer for aspiring mountain guides. Discussed in this episode: the "systems approach" of risk management to backcountry ski guiding; managing avalanche risk; what it takes to become a ski guide; detailed preparation for a backcountry tour, including "run sheets"; risk vs loss vs love; terrain management; decision making by intuition and the facts; and good communication.

In this episode, we talk with Bill Nalli, Utah Department of Transportation Avalanche Program supervisor, about keeping the Greatest Snow on Earth from avalanching over the open roads. Topics discussed: managing avalanche potential in Little Cottonwood Canyon; avalanche mitigation tools (105mm Howitzers) from WWII to the Wasatch backcountry; Avalanche Hazard Index; avalanche problems across Utah; precarious existence and importance of artillery as an avalanche tool; Craig Patterson; the challenge of managing more and more winters recreators.  

Special guest, Jim Steenburgh AKA Professor Powder, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Utah and author of the book THE GREATEST SNOW ON EARTH. The weather triangle of precipitation, wind, and temperature/solar radiation; weather is the architect of the snowpack; seasonal variations in weather patterns; local effects that impact Wasatch winter storms; atmospheric rivers; Lake Effect myths, brine shrimp included; decision making by consensus and outliers; why Alta does indeed have the Greatest Snow on Earth.

Utah Avalanche Center forecaster Drew Hardesty and Alta Snow Safety Director Dave Richards revisit the fateful events of November 13, 2011, the Day of Madness in Little Cottonwood Canyon. It was an early-season powder day in the Wasatch, and people's lust for epic snow encountered the dangerous realities of considerable avalanche danger, with deadly results. Discussed: human factors that compound snow problems; typical hazards of early-season snow; Jamie Pierre; the science, challenges, and potentially deadly results of depth hoar; tips for backcountry recreationists to improve their margins of safety and make smart choices in the early season.